Yamamoto, Ohtani deliver in return to Japan, Dodgers beat the Cubs in MLB season opener

The Associated Press

· Posted: Mar 18, 2025 9:55 AM EDT | Last Updated: 5 minutes ago

Yoshinobu Yamamoto threw 5 beardown innings, Shohei Ohtani had 2 hits and scored twice, and the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers bushed the Chicago Cubs 4-1 connected Tuesday successful Major League Baseball's play opener astatine the Tokyo Dome.

Playing successful beforehand of their location country, Yamamoto and Cubs lefty Shota Imanaga some pitched good successful the archetypal all-Japanese starting pitching matchup connected opening time successful MLB history. Imanaga threw 4 scoreless innings, allowing nary hits but walking four.

The Dodgers jumped connected Cubs reliever Ben Brown (0-1) successful the fifth, scoring 3 runs, partially due to the fact that of a throwing mistake by 2nd baseman Jon Berti. Tommy Edman and Will Smith had RBI singles.

Ohtani was portion of the rally, delivering a hard-hit azygous done the close side. He finished 2 for 5 astatine the plate, including a treble to pb disconnected the ninth, yet scoring different run.

Yamamoto (1-0) gave up 1 tally connected 3 hits and a walk, striking retired four. Tanner Scott earned his archetypal save.

Chicago's Miguel Amaya drove successful Dansby Swanson with a two-out treble that made it 1-0 successful the second. The Cubs didn't person a deed aft the third.

Dodgers archetypal baseman Freddie Freeman was scratched earlier the crippled due to the fact that of near rib discomfort. Shortstop Mookie Betts volition miss some games successful Japan due to the fact that of an illness.

Yamamoto, Anthony Banda, Ben Casparius and Blake Treinen combined to discontinue 16 batters successful a enactment from the 3rd to the eighth innings. The streak ended erstwhile Treinen deed Berti with a transportation with 1 retired successful the eighth.

Japanese rookie Roki Sasaki volition marque his MLB debut for the Dodgers portion left-hander Justin Steele takes the mound for the Cubs connected Wednesday nighttime for the last crippled successful Tokyo.